


tattoos together

by nanometer



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Tattoos, a little steamy towards the end, don’t clown me if this sucks aha, i honestly don’t know if this is any good lmao, inspired by a song, matching tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23890372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanometer/pseuds/nanometer
Summary: jaemin and jeno been best friends for seven years, and jaemin thinks getting matching tattoos would be a great way to symbolize that.“if it’s not forever, then at least we’ll have tattoos together”
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 14
Kudos: 104





	tattoos together

**Author's Note:**

> another self-indulgent fic that i have absolutely no confidence in :D
> 
> inspired by tattoos together by lauv!!
> 
> happy reading, loves~

It’s painful, very painful quite frankly. Jeno questions why he even agreed to such a reckless and impulsive thing. Maybe it’s the way things were all set up, the way he and Jaemin were just eating breakfast together at a cozy link somewhere near their shared loft apartment.

The meal was quiet and peaceful as they ate outside the restaurant, quiet and peaceful until the blue haired boy sitting across from Jeno asked the most random question ever, causing Jeno to choke on the bread in his mouth.

“I mean, sure tattoos are a permanent thing and who knows how long we’ll even stay as friends. But at least if it all comes to an end, we’ll still have that to remind us of the good times.”

“Why so suddenly though?”

“I don’t know. I just want to,” Jaemin took a sip of his coffee. “Plus I love you.”

Jeno froze in his spot, looking down at his half eaten waffles and omelette. He felt a rush of heat come up to his cheeks and ears, and he’s sure they’re already too red to hide.

That’s the thing about Jaemin, he says such things like these so casually, so comfortably. _‘I love you’_ just rolls off his tongue with ease. He says that to Jeno every single day, and every single time it has the same burning effect on him: He’s frozen in place with flushed cheeks, unable to speak, or he just resorts to saying something like “yeah yeah” or “me too.”

It sucks knowing that those three words are only meant to be platonic. They’ve been best friends for seven years so why would it be? Besides, it’s not like Jeno is the only person Jaemin says “I love you” to. There’s Donghyuck, Jisung, Chenle, Mark, Renjun, and a whole shit ton of other people that those words are directed to, and they can say it back too, which kinda feels like a punch in the face to Jeno.

“So what do you say? Let’s get tattoos together?”

“What would we even get?”

“I don’t know. Shapes, letters, whatever.”

“You know tattoos are supposed to have special meaning right?”

“Yeah duh. No matter what tattoo we get, it already has it’s special meaning. It’ll represent us, everything we’ve been through together. So can we?”

The twinkle in Jaemin’s eyes and the eager smile on his face was enough to convince Jeno. It’s common knowledge that whenever it comes to his best friend, he’s too weak for him to decline. So that’s why he finds himself two days later at a tattoo parlor, needle to his skin on his right arm as Jaemin holds his hand to try and distract him from the pricks.

Jaemin already has his done, a tiny a simple flower created by Jeno on the opposite side of his left elbow. When he was getting his done, he was able to tolerate the needle a lot better than Jeno is right now. One would have assumed that the excitement and adrenaline rush he was feeling was enough to numb the pain. Jeno, on the other hand, has too much anxiety in his system to keep himself from cringing.

Jeno has never gotten a tattoo before, nor has he ever thought of getting one. He liked the idea of his skin being ink-free. It’s more conservative, more pure, like him as he likes to say. His “stone cold resting bitch face” (as referred to by Chenle) ruins his first impressions on people already. What more if he would get a tattoo?

“Done,” the tattooist announces, wiping off the excess ink.

Jeno stares at the tattoo on his arm in awe. It’s a little different from what Jaemin has. It’s still a small and simple flower, only this one was drawn by Jaemin.

When the two boys were first trying to figure out what to get back at their loft, it was decided upon that they should go for something that wasn’t pulled off the internet. And while brainstorming, Jeno was casually doodling on one of their ripped open envelopes, tracing random swirls and shapes.

Walking past, a loud gasp that left Jaemin’s mouth surprised Jeno. The younger snatched the envelope from him as he gapes at one certain doodle. “This one!” he exclaimed, pointing at the minimalistic flower.

He took the pen from Jeno’s hand and drew something as well, a similar flower that has his own touch. Once he was done, he showed Jeno, and he could only smile back fondly at Jaemin’s enthusiasm.

“Jen, it’s so pretty!” Jaemin says, hugging Jeno’s arm.

“It really is, huh?”

The two of them silently watch and listen as the tattoo artist wraps the tattoo in a bandage and explains how to take care of it.

Jeno has to admit, now that it’s done and over with, there’s something in his heart that feels happy. He doesn’t know if it’s just because the tattoo really is pretty or if it’s the way Jaemin’s smiling real big right now, still clinging onto his arm.

It could be both, he thinks as his eyes finally meet Jaemin’s. The eye contact feels electric, amazingly fond, like there’s nothing else and no one else in the world other than them. 

“I love you,” Jaemin whispers only loud enough for Jeno to hear.

“Me too.”

  
  
  
  


It’s already been half a year since they’ve gotten their tattoos, half a year since their friends made a scene at their usual pub when they noticed it. The first questions that they decided to squeal about were asking if they were finally together. It only caused Jaemin to laugh out loud, making Jeno feel an aching pang in his chest.

“Friends can’t get matching tattoos?” Jaemin mused, taking another shot.

Their friends gave Jeno a sorry look. All of them are aware of how he feels toward Jaemin, they have been for three years. The confession wasn’t direct. They just assumed he likes the boy because of Jeno’s usual reactions to anything Jaemin does.

One example being when Jeno ran off to Donghyuck’s apartment with a heartbroken look on his face. Jaemin had brought a date home, asking his best friend if he could step out of their loft for the night.

It was quite saddening to see. Jeno looked so helpless, so tired. That night he told Donghyuck that he was just going to give up, maybe find an excuse to move out. And as much as the tanner friend wanted Jeno to keep the hope, he couldn’t find the right words to say to him that would assure him that it’ll all eventually be okay, that things will go his way in a matter of time. He couldn’t find it in him to blatantly lie to his face. 

Jeno always dreamt of living happily in love with Jaemin. Dreamt of finding the courage to tell him that he loves him. Dreamt of growing old with him, of having children together. But those were always ever dreams, things that would only ever happen in another life.

That’s why Jeno finds what had happened earlier to be so crazy, straight out of his wildest fantasies. Because just a little over an hour ago, he and Jaemin got into an argument, one that happened over Jeno’s sudden ignorance towards Jaemin.

A few nights ago, the same thing happened from nearly a year ago. Jeno appeared on Donghyuck’s doorstep again with the same heartbroken face. That was when Donghyuck finally encouraged Jeno that maybe he was right to give up. He’s only hurting himself by being so hopelessly in love with Jaemin. 

That talk caused Jeno to progressively distance himself from Jaemin. And, _boy_ , was Jaemin pissed when the cancelling of their plans got out of hand.

They were yelling, crying, hitting the wall, until eventually, something in Jeno snapped, those three words he had been keeping locked inside finally slipped out.

Those dreams of his were spoken into words, painted before the two of them. One thing led to another and soon they found themselves discarding each other’s clothes, messily making out as if it were the last they’ll ever get of each other.

Jeno realizes now that his dreams can ever compare to this moment, how their bare bodies are so close and so warm against each other. None of his dreams can ever compare to how Jaemin’s swollen lips melt onto his, how their mouths dance together, how their hands roam each other’s bodies.

The older is the first one to pull away, trailing butterfly kisses down the younger’s left arm, stopping right at his tattoo. It’s amusing how Jaemin’s breath hitches the moment Jeno lays his cold fingers against his sensitive, inked skin.

Planting one last kiss on it, Jeno brings himself back up to meet Jaemin’s lips again. And with every time they’re only a centimeter apart, Jeno takes it as his chance to say those three words with confidence.

“I. Love. You.”

After a while, Jeno finally detaches himself from Jaemin, collapsing next to him. It doesn’t last long, however, since Jaemin ends up laying his head onto his chest.

Jeno’s heartbeat is fast, probably due to his breathlessness. It’s fast yet calming, fast yet easy. It leads Jaemin to think about their exchange earlier, all the shouting and weeping, the spoken and unspoken words.

After all this time, Jeno does love him. It’s no longer just a dream of his, no longer just a dream of Jeno’s.

It’s stupid really, so cliché. Two people oblivious of each other’s feelings, one leaving himself to suffer while the other tries to distract himself. He chuckles softly at that.

He’s loved Jeno for as long as he could remember, and only seven years later do they come out and say it, and in such a wild way too.

It’s unexpected, reckless, wrongfully right. Jaemin always thought that they’d confess in a sweeter, more…innocent manner. Definitely not like _this_. But, in all honesty, he wouldn’t have it any other way, and so wouldn’t Jeno.

“Jaemin, love?” Jeno speaks, eyeing both of their tattoos. Jaemin hums, signalling for him to continue. “Let’s get tattoos together.”

“Hmph…already asking for another tattoo and you still haven’t asked me to be your boyfriend yet.”

“I’m getting there.”

“What would we even get anyways?”

“I don’t know. Shapes, letters, whatever. Let’s just get one so that even if this isn’t forever, at least we’ll have tattoos together.”

Jaemin lifts himself up a little to look at Jeno properly, giving him a questioning look. “And why is that?”

“I just want to,” Jeno starts, a smile creeping on his lips. He brings his hand up to cup Jaemin’s cheek, the latter leaning into his touch with a hum. “Just ‘cause I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> it wasn’t bad ... right?? agh i hope u enjoyed it! lots of love from urs truly!
> 
> twt: nanomter  
> cc: nanometer


End file.
